Every year about 5% of iron products in the world are being replaced due to corrosion.
Different coatings are used to reduce the corrosion damage, the most popular being paints. The rust protective element in paints is generally an anti-corrosive pigment. Traditionally the most effective corrosion inhibiting pigments have been based on chromates, and between them especially zinc chromate.
Studies have shown that these, the best anticorrosive pigments (zinc chromate based) are potentially carcinogenic agents. Today, instead of zinc chromate sometimes there are used zinc phosphate based pigments in various combinations. But zinc is a heavy metal and all heavy metals are harmful to humans. Due to the growing awareness to the environmental harm associated with heavy metals, the market has been seeking non-toxic and cost effective replacements capable of performing at least as zinc chromate or zinc phosphate based pigments.